Five Mistakes You Should Avoid Making This Semester

Happy New Month and a Happy New School Year to you. I have waited for the new month since the beginning of August and truth be told, I put my life on hold for September. I know it’s not a good habit but I did it anyway. Now, September is here and I’m more than happy to share with you five mistakes you should avoid making this semester.

I say so because we often imagine what the school year would look like and then at the end of the year, we look back and the year is full of regrets. The easiest way to fix that is to find the mistakes to avoid during the school year, and prevent them from happening.

OVER/UNDER PREPARATION:

You’ll be surprised that too much of everything is bad. You’ve looked back on the previous school year and you discovered that all your mistakes. You know all the obvious ones, read more, be more productive, do your assignments on time, etc. While that is all rainbows and sunshine, if you over prepare, you might end up falling into a spiral of stress.

By over preparation, I mean buying 200 pencils and matching erasers or worrying too much about whether you have enough highlighters for colour coding your notes. These things don’t matter. Strive to collect just what you’ll actually use. Don’t fuss over too many clothes or shoes or makeup. We all know you’ll end up wearing the same two shirts anyway. Conversely, don’t come unprepared. Don’t be that girl who doesn’t have a pen on the first day or doesn’t even know where/what classes she should be having. That’s just irresponsible of you.

TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE:

This is more of a fresher problem than a senior but no-one is too old to make mistakes. When you come on campus, you’ll find that there are MANY activities to do. Good ones I must add but please don’t be tricked into signing every form flashed before you. Even as a Christian, I did not join the Christian fellowship the week I came because I had no idea where I was. I dislike giving my word and going back on it, so I avoided putting myself in such situation.

You’re going to be on the campus for a couple of years or at least a year. Slow your roll. There’ll be enough time for almost everything. The last thing you want is to be overwhelmed by the multitude of promises you made in the first week of resumption. You know your brain still needs time to wake up from that holiday madness.

MAKING TOO MANY FRIENDS:

If you happen to be one of those very likeable people who others are easily attracted to, this is for you. As a matter of fact, this is one of the most important mistakes you should avoid making this semester. If you’re a new student, know that not everyone you smile with is your friend. As for the older students, you know the drill, you lose some, don’t gain more back. At least not so many more.

As you grow older, you’ll realize that balancing social life and academics is more than a chore. They fewer, more sensible friends you have, the better. From day one, try to sift through to find people with similar principles and goals as you, especially Christians. The company you keep matters a lot.

THINKING YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME

No darling, you do not have enough time. 24 hours is not enough. If it’s enough for you and you’re still behind on your tasks, there’s a problem. Never think that you have enough time. At least, never think that to the point where you let yourself slack. Don’t pat yourself on the back saying you’ve done good, especially when you’re doing the bare minimum.

When I did the bare minimum, I struggled. And I did the bare minimum because I felt like I’d have enough time to catch up if the need arose. I was mistaken and I regretted it. The little things add up, so be on guard from day one till finish. You can use this resource to help you through the year.

NOT MAKING TIME FOR GOD

Of all the mistakes you should avoid making this semester, this one is the easiest to make. Most times, we get so busy that we ignore God. However, if you can’t and won’t ignore your friends or your boyfriend for the semester, then you should not ignore God. You should not, and I’m guilty of this, wait till exams week to talk to God. You push him aside until you need help and then you try to drag Him to come to your aid. He’s not your fairy godmother.

You either want Him or you don’t. Remember to read your Bible, pray and have meaningful discussions. By all means, avoid discussing what shoe Rihanna wore to the last red carpet. Unless you’re in the fashion industry, it’s not really your problem.

These are my top five mistakes you should avoid making this semester. You might have yours. I’d love to know what they are.

Don’t forget to share this with a friend as they begin the semester. Even if they have, it’s not too late. Have fun and share with me your ‘bad habits’ or mistakes you’ve made in earlier semesters or those you’re trying to avoid this semester in the comments. Wishing you a fruitful semester ahead!